Andre Iguodala Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Kevin Durant Addresses Injury, Value To Team

May 24th, 2019 at 6:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kevin Durant isn’t sure when he’ll return from his calf injury but he is sure that the Warriors are better with him in the lineup. Durant addressed those topics while meeting the media, including ESPN’s Nick Friedell, on Friday.

Durant noted that while he’s showing steady improvement, the right calf strain he suffered in Game 5 against the Rockets in the conference semifinals still needs time to heal. Durant has not been cleared for on-court work. He’s doubtful to play in Game 1 of the Finals on Thursday.

“I’m just taking it a second at a time,” Durant said. “Every rep we do in the weight room, I just try to focus on that rep and not try to think too far down the line. ‘Cause I don’t really know too much about this injury. I’m leaving it the hands of the team doctors. I trust the direction they’re trying to put me in.”

Durent initially feared he tore his Achilles, the same injury teammate DeMarcus Cousins suffered last season with the Pelicans.

“I pushed off to run down court and I felt somebody trip me up,” Durant said, according to an NBA.com post. “First thing that came to mind, ‘Boogie (Cousins) said, Kobe (Bryant) said…’ that it felt like somebody kicked them (after they tore Achilles tendons). So the first thing in my mind was to slow down and process what happened. Then I started walking, and I could put weight on it, and it wasn’t as bad as I thought.”

The Warriors have won all five playoff games with Durant out of action, prompting many observers to say the team is better off without the impending free agent and more fun to watch. Durant has heard the talk and says it’s not factual.

“I felt like my teammates and the organization know exactly what I’ve done here off and on the court to become a part of this culture, stamp my flag in this culture and this organization. … I know what I bring to the team, but I also know a lot of people on the outside don’t like to see us together, and I get it,” he said.

Warriors owner Joe Lacob has repeatedly said he’ll do whatever it takes to keep the core group together this offseason, including Durant.

Forward Andre Iguodala (calf), who missed Game 4 against Portland, and Cousins (quad), who has been since the opening round, are closer to returning. Both participated in a full team scrimmage on Friday without restrictions on contact or playing time.

MRI Negative On Andre Iguodala’s Left Calf

May 19th, 2019 at 1:23pm CST by Arthur Hill

1:23pm: Per Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, the results of Andre Iguodala’s MRI came back negative. He is questionable for Game 4 in Portland, adds Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

9:02am: The Warriors could have a third member of their rotation sidelined as they try to wrap up a fifth straight Western Conference title, according to Nick Friedell of ESPN. Andre Iguodala will have an MRI today on an injured left calf that limited him to 17 minutes last night and caused him to miss the entire fourth quarter.

“He was sore,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters after the Game 3 victory. “Lower leg, just had some soreness. He’s going to get an MRI tomorrow. We didn’t want to risk anything and put him back in the game. So, when we took him out mid-third, trainer said that’ll be it for him. We’ll know more tomorrow.”

Iguodala was pulled from the game in the first quarter to have the leg examined. He was able to return for a while before the Warriors decided to sit him for the rest of the night. Iguodala was favoring the leg somewhat after the game, Friedell adds, but didn’t seem worried about the injury

The 35-year-old swingman has started nine of the Warriors’ 15 games this postseason and is averaging 30.2 minutes per night. He is posting a 10.6/4.2/4.1 line and is taking on the toughest defensive matchups. Kerr limited him to a career-low 23.2 minutes per game during the regular season to make sure he was rested heading into the playoffs.

Golden State has a chance to sweep the series with Portland tomorrow, which would create a nine-day window for Iguodala, Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins to recover before the start of the NBA Finals.

“We won’t talk about anything other than Game 4,” Kerr said. “What’s after that doesn’t matter, maybe game 5, maybe game 6. So, we just focus on the next game ahead of us. We’ve got some guys banged up, but we’ve done a really good job. I’m really proud of this group for playing through a number of injuries we’ve had. It’s a remarkable group to continue to press and play at this level without so many key guys, so I’m very proud of them.”

Warriors Notes: Thompson, Durant, Iguodala, Cousins

May 8th, 2019 at 8:36pm CST by Arthur Hill

Speculation over Kevin Durant‘s future has been hounding the Warriors for months, but Klay Thompson‘s upcoming free agency is being almost overlooked, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN. Thompson will also be unrestricted this summer, but he is expected to re-sign with the organization. He has said publicly that he expects a max contract, which would pay him $188MM over five years or $221MM in a super-max deal if he makes an all-NBA team.

“The media, I think, give him a little bit of a break as far as over-speculating and throwing him into the fire because he hasn’t really fueled it — at all,” teammate Andrew Bogut said. “You’ve never heard him say anything bad about wanting to leave here or going to another team or being the No. 1 option. You’ve never even heard that off the record. Some players say the right thing publicly but have different feelings [in private]. He completely wants to be here and he gets it that this is a very rare situation.”

Re-signing Thompson would give the Warriors a measure of stability heading forward, regardless of what happens with Durant. He has been part of the Warriors’ core over the five years that they have been elite and ranks second only to LeBron James in the number of playoff games in that span.

“I think Klay sort of ties it all together in a lot of ways,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “There’s not one person in this organization who would ever question Klay’s agenda or motives.”

There’s more Warriors news to pass along:

Knicks fans shouldn’t start the Durant celebration just yet, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post, who talked to Marcus Thompson II, author of a new book titled, “KD: Kevin Durant’s Relentless Pursuit to Be The Greatest.” Thompson acknowledges that the Knicks will be strong contenders, but he believes Golden State’s chances of keeping Durant have improved.
Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston have both been cleared to play in tonight’s Game 5, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. The Warriors were upset about how Iguodala got hurt at the end of Monday’s game, accusing Chris Paul of intentionally clipping his knee from behind on a rebound, according to Mark Medina of The San Jose Mercury News. Livingston has been dealing with a sore left hip.
DeMarcus Cousins was jogging and putting up 3-point shots in a workout this afternoon, relays Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. Cousins is determined to overcome a quad injury and return to action before the postseason is over.

Warriors Notes: Looney, Durant, Iguodala, Curry

May 4th, 2019 at 7:33pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kevon Looney can expect salary offers in the $3-$5MM range when he becomes a free agent this summer, according to sources who spoke to Ethan Strauss of The Athletic. Looney became the Warriors‘ most reliable center in his fourth NBA season, averaging career highs with 6.3 points and 5.2 rebounds in 80 games.

Golden State has the league’s highest payroll, but Looney may have made himself too valuable to part with, Strauss adds. He’s only 23 and could be the starting center of the future, considering the uncertainty surrounding DeMarcus Cousins. Looney has expressed a desire to play in the Chase Center when it opens next season, and there won’t be any cap-related roadblocks because the team owns his Bird Rights.

There’s more Warriors news to pass along:

Kevin Durant has a major free agency decision to make in less than two months, but it’s not distracting him during the playoffs, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. Durant has been on a scoring tear through the first two rounds of the postseason as he tries to lead the Warriors to their third straight championship since he arrived. “It’s just fun being out there,” he said when asked about playoff pressure. “What’s the worst that can happen to either team? We both lose and we got another game. One team loses, we play another game. I think once everybody looks at it in more of a wider view of things, I don’t think it’s that much pressure.”
There were concerns that Andre Iguodala might have been overpaid when he signed his current contract, but the Warriors are happy to have him for $16MM this season and $17.18MM next year, relays Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Iguodala averaged 5.7 points and 3.7 rebounds in 68 games this season, career lows in both categories, but the team considers him to be invaluable in the playoffs. “Are we overpaying statistically? Probably,” coach Steve Kerr said. “Are we overpaying in terms of his value on winning a championship? Hell, no. Can you imagine us without him? No. He’s been worth every penny and more.”
Not much has gone wrong for the Warriors so far in the conference semifinals, but Stephen Curry‘s foul problems have been a concern, notes Martin Rogers of USA Today. Curry has gotten into early foul trouble in the first two games, finishing with five each time, which affects Kerr’s planned rotations.

Warriors Notes: Kerr, Durant, Green, Iguodala

April 27th, 2019 at 8:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

Warriors coach Steve Kerr is calling for a change in the rule that imposes an automatic one-game suspension on any player who receives seven technical fouls in the playoffs, relays Tim MacMahon of ESPN. The penalty is significant for the Warriors because Kevin Durant and Draymond Green were among the league leaders in technicals during the regular season.

“I will never understand the rule that everybody falls under the exact same category, in terms of whether you lose in four games in the first round or you play 25 games and you go to the Finals, that it’s the same technical fouls points that lead to a suspension,” Kerr said. “It seems strange. But I do know that Kevin and Draymond have a good feel for when they reach that number. They generally are able to shut that off, shut that emotion off and stay on the floor. That’s going to be important.”

Green and Durant each picked up two T’s in the first-round series with the Clippers. Both of Durant’s came in the opening game, which got him ejected, while another technical in Game 3 was rescinded. Golden State is hoping the league will also rescind a technical foul Green received last night.

“He ran over to [referee David Guthrie] and said, ‘Tell me what I have to do to defend that better,’ and he got a T,” Kerr explained. “I was surprised. We’ll see what happens, but we’ve got to understand that we’ve got to be on alert, because the rules are the rules in terms of the suspensions and all that stuff.”

There’s more Warriors news to pass along:

Durant tells Anthony Slater of The Athletic that the key to finishing off the Clippers was to block out distractions. After giving up a 31-point lead in a Game 2 loss, Durant averaged better than 40 PPG for the rest of the series. “There’s a lot of speculation about me, about my attitude, about where I’m playing next season that a lot of these (media) dudes in here are trying to distract us with and then want to blame it on me because it’s easy to blame it on me,” Durant said. “I understand that. We understand that. So for us, we just made it about basketball.”
Durant has established himself as the best player in the league and should stay with the Warriors to see how many titles he can win, contends Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.
Andre Iguodala‘s value as a playoff defender convinced the Warriors to give him a three-year, $48MM contract when he was a free agent in 2017, writes Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. After Golden State made an original offer of $36MM, Iguodala had discussions with the Spurs, Lakers, Kings and Rockets before owner Joe Lacob approved the larger deal.

Pacific Notes: McGruder, Suns, Iguodala, Green

April 21st, 2019 at 8:11pm CST by JD Shaw

Clippers forward Rodney McGruder is getting a unique perspective of the playoffs due to his ineligibility to play, Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times writes.

McGruder, 27, was claimed by the Clippers after being waived by Miami earlier in the month. Because he was released after March 1, NBA rules prohibit him from playing in the postseason — causing him to participate in practice and watch games from the sidelines.

“They welcomed me like no other,” McGruder said of the Clippers. “They made me feel welcome, and it’s been a great experience just getting to meet the guys and see how everything works around here. It’s basically like a recruiting visit.”

Los Angeles respected the grit and determination McGruder has played with in his short professional career, believing in his ability and bringing him on board.

“You play against people, they leave an impression,” teammate Patrick Beverley said of McGruder. “The impression he left on us is he plays extremely hard.”

The Clippers can extend a qualifying offer to McGruder by June 29 and allow him to enter restricted free agency, though it’s unclear where their plans stand ahead of the offseason.

There’s more out of the Pacific Division today:

Sam Vecenie of The Athletic examines the Suns’ offseason and potential draft options, noting that several sources around the NBA believe Phoenix may prefer to end up with Ja Morant rather than Zion Williamson. Suns general manager James Jones, according to Vecenie, is enamored with Morant’s playing abilities — coupled with the fact that his team needs a point guard.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr agrees with Andre Iguodala that he could play beyond his current contract, which is set to expire at the end of next season, as relayed by Mark Medina of The Mercury News. “I think he can play beyond this contract, if he really wants,” Kerr said. “He may not want to be. He may just want to go to the golf course and call it a career. But he can keep playing if he wants.” Iguodala, the 2015 NBA Finals MVP, has averaged 5.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists in a career-low 23.2 minutes per game this season.
The playoffs could be a prime chance for Draymond Green to raise his value ahead of potential contract extension talks with the Warriors this summer, Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. When asked if he could use the playoffs as an opportunity to boost his value entering any potential negotiations, Green said, “Not at all. No, I can’t negotiate any contract right now, so I’ll be damned if I’m going to stress myself out trying to negotiate it in my head. It makes no sense. It’s a waste of time and energy.”

Warriors Notes: Iguodala, Green, Durant

April 20th, 2019 at 7:34pm CST by Arthur Hill

Andre Iguodala believes he can play past his current contract, which expires at the end of next season, but he’ll only do it if the price is right, relays Mark Medina of The San Jose Mercury News. Iguodala will be 36 years old when his $17.18MM deal is up next summer, and he has no doubts about his ability to remain in the league.

“Yeah I can easily,” he said. “But it’s going to cost you.” Iguodala refused to name a dollar amount, but added, “For whoever wants me to play, I ain’t playing to play. I’m playing to help my guys. It’s got to be worth my time. … Depending on what the salary cap is. What is the team, coach, ownership as well as the stakeholders?”

Coming off a non-invasive procedure on his left leg during the offseason, Iguodala played in 71 games, even though his minutes were limited to a career-low 23.2 per night. A vegan diet has helped to prolong his career, along with weight training, meditation, yoga and icing.

There’s more Warriors news to pass along:

Draymond Green responded to a February request to improve his conditioning by losing 23 pounds, according to Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. Green already had a plan in place when GM Bob Myers approached him about the issue. “I knew I wasn’t in good shape,” Green said. “But I also know if anybody knows how to get in shape and get in shape quick, I know how. I’ve been doing it all my life.” He added that a toe injury and a sore knee contributed to his conditioning problems. He took motivation not only from the approaching postseason, but the knowledge that he is eligible for a contract extension this summer and the negative reaction from some Golden State fans after his early-season altercation with Kevin Durant.
Technical fouls called against Durant and the Clippers’ JaMychal Green during Game 3 of their series have been rescinded by the league, The Associated Press reports. The news is especially significant for Durant, who picked up two technicals in the series opener and faces an automatic one-game suspension if he reaches seven.
Facing a rare 12:30pm (Pacific Time) start tomorrow, the Warriors insist the L.A. nightlife won’t interfere with their preparations for the game, Medina writes in a separate story.

And-Ones: Iguodala, Gupta, Vesely, Williamson

February 18th, 2019 at 8:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Warriors swingman Andre Iguodala was elected First Vice President of the National Basketball Players Association, according to an NBPA press release. Iguodala has been on the Executive Committee since February 2013. He replaces LeBron James, whose four-year term has expired.

The Bucks‘ Malcolm Brogdon, the Celtics‘ Jaylen Brown and the Hornets‘ Bismack Biyombo were elected to serve as VPs on the Executive Committee. They replace Carmelo Anthony, Stephen Curry and Iguodala.

Chris Paul remains President of the committee with Anthony Tolliver, Pau Gasol, C.J. McCollum and Garrett Temple also serving on it.

We have more news from around the basketball world:

Pistons assistant GM Sachin Gupta never knew ESPN’s Trade Machine would become so popular when he created it in 2006, Rod Beard of the Detroit News reports. Gupta called it a “fun project” and took about a month to write the code for the Trade Machine when he worked for the network, Beard adds. “It’s not meant to replace common sense. It’s not meant to replace any GM’s job,” Gupta said. “It’s simply based on the rules and whether it works or not.”
Former NBA player Jan Vesely has signed an extension with Fenerbahce that keep him under contract until 2022, the Turkish team tweets. The 7-foot power forward was drafted by the Wizards with the sixth overall pick of the 2011 draft but only lasted three NBA seasons.
Stephen Curry is a fan of Duke’s Zion Williamson, considered the top prospect in this year’s draft, he said in an interview with The Undefeated and relayed by E. Jay Zarett of the Sporting News. “He’s unreal. We were talking about him the other day in our team room,” Curry said, via Justin Tinsley of the Undefeated. “He has a lot of hype around him and he’s unbelievably talented, but you can’t teach his passion and the way that … he plays. He plays hard every possession, and that’s an underrated skill that kids can kind of emulate.”

Warriors Notes: McCaw, Center, McKinnie, Iguodala

December 31st, 2018 at 12:29pm CST by Luke Adams

After deciding not to match Patrick McCaw‘s offer sheet with the Cavaliers, Warriors general manager Bob Myers spoke to reporters today about his team’s decision, citing Alfonzo McKinnie‘s play and roster flexibility as the primary reasons to let McCaw walk. As Mark Medina of The Bay Area News Group tweets, Myers also mentioned the luxury tax implications, but suggested that wasn’t the primary factor.

According to Medina (Twitter link), Myers wished McCaw well and indicated that Golden State would have been happy to welcome him back. The Warriors’ GM still isn’t sure exactly why McCaw wanted to leave the club, tweets Nick Friedell of ESPN.com. “I honestly don’t know,” Myers said. “It’s all speculation.”

With that 15th roster spot still open and Damian Jones sidelined, the Warriors are monitoring opportunities to add another center to the mix, Myers confirmed (Twitter link via Anthony Slater of The Athletic). However, nothing is imminent, and the GM sounds prepared to wait until closer to the trade deadline – or buyout season – to acquire another big man, according to Slater (Twitter link).

“I wish we could borrow some centers from last year,” Myers joked, referring to a 2017/18 roster that included David West, JaVale McGee, and Zaza Pachulia (Twitter link via Medina).

Here’s more on the Warriors:

Myers was reluctant to discuss a specific timeline when asked about DeMarcus Cousins‘ return, but he was positive about the big man’s recovery process. “I think we’re nearing the finish line,” Myers said, per Friedell (Twitter link).
It sounds like Alfonzo McKinnie probably doesn’t have to be worried about being waived at the contract guarantee deadline next Monday. Myers said today that the Warriors’ players, coaches, and front office all want to keep the young forward around (Twitter link via Slater).
Before the Warriors officially made their decision on Patrick McCaw, Medina spoke to a handful of the youngster’s now-former teammates about the prospect of welcoming him back into the locker room. “It would be an adjustment just because he hadn’t been playing with us and we have a new roster and a couple of new guys,” Kevon Looney said. “But I think most of us would take him back with open arms.” Within the same story, Medina notes that owner Joe Lacob remains “dumbfounded” and “befuddled” about how McCaw’s free agency played out.
Andre Iguodala was fined $25K by the NBA for throwing the game ball into the crowd at halftime in Portland on Saturday, the league announced today in a press release.

Andre Iguodala Close To Retirement?

November 28th, 2018 at 7:29pm CST by clarkcrum

The Warriors are looking to win their fourth championship in five years next spring, but one of their key role players has been contemplating his future beyond this season, writes Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area.

14-year veteran Andre Iguodala, 34, is already “counting down” the remaining years of his NBA career, telling Poole that while he thinks he could theoretically play another five seasons, he’ll likely hang it up after no more than three additional years.

“I’m going to be done soon. I could probably play a legit five more years, but I’ll probably max out at three more after this year – maybe three more. But if I’m not here, that will weigh heavily on what I will do. I possibly have another year here – if we win. That’s it. I know that. I’m fine with it.”

Reading between those lines makes it sounds as if Iguodala may consider retirement this summer if the Warriors don’t win it all, but he’s still under contract next year and scheduled to make a guaranteed $17.2MM, so that seems unlikely.

Moreover, the Warriors still value Iguodala’s presence, even it may appear that he’s coasting through the regular season despite the team’s relative struggles recently. His ability to affect the game outside of the box score marvels his teammates and he always seems to produce what his team needs at the right moment. Accordingly, whenever he does retire, the Warriors or another team will certainly miss him.